This invention relates generally to a gate valve and, more particularly, to a gate valve capable of extremely fast operation.
Many processing systems employ pipelines to transport potentially hazardous materials. Under certain circumstances, safety can require a rapid interruption of material flow and isolation of a hazardous condition. The gate valve is a device often used for this purpose and such use of a gate valve is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,863. However, prior gate valves have not been satisfactory under conditions requiring extremely fast valve closure and process material isolation. Such fast operation is necessary, for example, to isolate process materials from flame produced by an inadvertent explosion. Depending on pipe size and the volatility of the transported material, necessary valve closure times for explosion isolation generally range from 10-50 milliseconds. Because of the significant requirements for energy development and dissipation, conventional gate valves are not suited for operation in that range.
The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved gate valve capable of the extremely fast closure speeds necessary to isolate certain types of explosions.